August 2006 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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took [her] by the hand, and said unto her, . . . Damsel, I say
unto thee, arise. . . . And straightway the damsel arose, and
walked; . . . and they were astonished.” 30
The First to Rise
It is emotionally draining for me to recount the events
leading up to the Crucifixion of the Master. I cringe
when I read of Pilate responding to cries of the throng:
“Crucify him, crucify him.” 31 Pilate “took water, and
washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am
innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.” 32
Jesus was mocked. He was spit upon and a crown of
thorns placed upon His head. He was given vinegar to
drink. They crucified Him.
His body was placed in a borrowed tomb, but no tomb
could hold the body of the Lord. On the morning of the
third day came the welcome message to Mary Magdalene,
to Mary the mother of James, and to other women who
were with them as they came to the tomb, saw the large
entrance stone rolled away, and noted the tomb was
empty. Two angels said to the weeping women: “Why
seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but
is risen.” 33
Yes, the Lord had indeed risen. He appeared to Mary;
He was seen by Cephas, or Peter, then by His brethren
of the Twelve. He was seen by Joseph Smith and Sidney
Rigdon, who declared: “This is the testimony, last of all,
which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him,
even on the right hand of God.” 34
Our Mediator, our Redeemer, our Brother, our Advocate
with the Father died for our sins and the sins of all mankind.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the foreordained but
voluntary act of the Only Begotten Son of God. He offered
His life as a redeeming ransom for us all.
His mission, His ministry among men, His teachings
of truth, His acts of mercy, His unwavering love for us
prompt our gratitude and warm our hearts. Jesus Christ,
Savior of the world—even the Son of God—was and is
the ultimate pioneer, for He has gone before, showing all
others the way to follow. May we ever follow Him. ■
NOTES
1. Quoted in Wilford Woodruff,
“Celebration of Pioneers’
Day,” The Utah Pioneers
(1880), 23.
2. Oxford English Dictionary
(1971), “Pioneer,” 2182.
3. Ruth 1:16–17.
4. John 3:28.
5. Luke 3:16.
6. Matthew 3:14.
7. Matthew 3:15–17.
8. John 1:29.
9. Matthew 11:11.
10. Matthew 4:19.
11. Matthew 16:16.
12. John 19:27.
13. John 19:26.
14. Isaiah 60:2.
15. Amos 8:11.
16. Quoted in S. Michael Wilcox,
Fire in the Bones: William
Tyndale—Martyr, Father of
the English Bible (2004), 47.
17. Joseph Smith—History 1:11.
18. Joseph Smith—History
1:13–17.
19. Acts 10:38.
20. Matthew 6:9–10.
21. Luke 22:42.
22. Matthew 25:40.
23. D&C 64:10.
24. Matthew 22:37–39.
25. Luke 18:22.
26. Mark 5:23.
27. Mark 5:35.
28. Mark 5:36.
29. Mark 5:39–40.
30. Mark 5:40–42.
31. Luke 23:21.
32. Matthew 27:24.
33. Luke 24:5–6.
34. D&C 76:22–23.
IDEAS FOR HOME TEACHERS
After prayerfully studying this message, share it using a
method that encourages the participation of those you teach.
Following are some examples:
1. Ask family members to define pioneer. Read the article’s
definition of the word. Share some of President Monson’s
examples to show how pioneers have prepared the way for us
spiritually. Ask family members to share examples of those who
have led the way for them. Discuss how we can preserve the
spirit of pioneering and lead the way for others. Share an
example of a “pioneer” who has been important in your life.
2. Show pictures of the pioneers listed in the article. Let
family members take turns choosing a picture and explaining
how the person they have chosen was a pioneer. Ask how we
can show gratitude for the legacy of these spiritual pioneers.
Bear testimony of the Savior as “the ultimate pioneer.”
3. Lead the family on a short walk. Stop at different points,
and relate examples of pioneers described by President
Monson. Read the definition of a pioneer, and invite someone
to lead the way back home. Invite the family to strive to be
pioneers.